Fluid conductor means for hookmounted elevator



Nov. 18, 1969 E. J. M FADDEN 3,479,062

FLUID CQNDUCTOR MEANS FOR HOOK-MOUNTED ELEVATOR Filed Dec. 4, 1967 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR 60%4420 J M FAD0N Maw . Nov. 18, 1969 E, J. MCFADDEN 3,479,062

FLUID CONDUCTOR MEANS FOR HOOK-MOUNTED ELEVATOR Filed Dec. 4, 1967 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 if Fm Z INVENTOR 60144420 J M FADfiEA/ A 770ZA/EV Nov. 18, 1969 E. J. MCFADDEN 3,479,062

FLUID CONDUCTOR MEANS FOR HOOK-MOUNTED ELEVATOR Filed Dec. 4, 1967 4 Sheets-Sheet I5 INVENTOR (SUM/4E0 JM FAODzE/V ATTOZA/y Nov. 18, 1969 E. J. M FADDEN 3,479,062

FLUID CONDUCTOR MEANS FOR HOOK-MOUNTED ELEVATOR Filed Dec. 4, 1967 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 /Z2 //0 INVENTOR (GDMED J M F4006/V BY zaM ,4 TTOZA/V United States Patent 3,479,062 FLUID CONDUCTOR MEANS FOR HOOK- MOUNTED ELEVATOR Edward J. McFadden, Houston, Tex., assignor to Byron Jackson Inc., Long Beach, Calif., a corporation of Delaware Filed Dec. 4, 1967, Ser. No. 687,829 Int. Cl. F16] 27/00, 33/16 US. Cl. 285-98 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A device for conducting fluid from a swiveling hook to a fluid-operated elevator suspended therefrom, the device including a swiveling fluid-conducting manifold to preclude entanglement of fluid lines extending from the hook to the elevator during their relative rotation.

Background of the invention This invention relates to pipe handling equipment, especially as required for handling pipe in a derrick during the rotary drilling of wells, such as oil wells, gas wells, or water wells, and more particularly to the hook and elevator equipment used in hoisting drill pipe in oil well drilling.

When a well is being drilled, it is customary to support the string of drill pipe by a hook structure suspended from a traveling block, which in turn is suspended in the derrick by a drilling line. When the drilling bit becomes dulled, the drill string, which comprises threadedly connected sections, is pulled from the well, and the disconnected sections, usually stands of three lengths of pipe, are stacked upright in the derrick. After replacement of the bit, the drill string is run back into the well by screwing the stands together and lowering the drill string the length of a stand as each stand is added. During these operations the drill pipe is supported by an elevator suspended from the drilling hook structure by a pair of elevator links connecting them. The elevator is composed of pivotally interconnected sections which may be hinged apart to provide a lateral opening, permitting lateral insertion of the pipe into the bore of the elevator and then closing and latching about the pipe.

In order to prevent unscrewing of the joints of pipe when they are being run into or out of the hole, due to rotation of the pipe, particularly in crooked holes, it is necessary to provide a swivel joint, usually in the hook structure. Also, because of this rotation, it is necessary to provide for realignment of the open side of the elevator with the pipe each time a stand is to be hoisted. A hook structure as described in United States Patent No. 2,732,244, issued Jan. 24, 1956 to W. P. Gaines, accomplishes these objectives.

For more eflicient operation, and to conserve manpower, it is desirable that the opening and closing of the elevator about the pipe be accomplished by power-and operable from a position removed from the pipe and elevator. Such an elevator, operated by fluid power, is described in United States Patent No. 2,695,189, issued Nov. 23, 1954 to J. L. Chrisman et a].

One of the difficulties encountered heretofore in the use of fluid-operated elevators has been to conduct power fluid from a power source to the elevator. If a flexible fluid line is connected directly from the pressure source to the elevator, tangled and twisted lines result, "J since the elevator not only must travel up and down in the derrick the distance equivalent to a stand of pipe, but also, as pointed out earlier, a certain amount of rotation of the pipe and elevator takes place. The flexible fluidconducting hose is sometimes strung from the pressure Patented Nov. 18, 1969 source, up the side of the derrick and then over to the traveling block or hook and down to the elevator; but due to the relative rotation of the elevator and the equipment from which it is suspended, twisting and entanglement of the line again result.

Entanglement of fluid lines is an even greater problem when drilling from floating platforms on ships due to the swaying of the floating equipment, which results not only in more severe movement, but also in more difficulty in untwisting the lines.

Summary of the invention In order to overcome the shortcomings heretofore encountered in the use of fluid-actuated elevators, therefore, it is one of the objects of this invention to provide a means for conducting power fluid to a power-operated elevator without entangled fluid lines.

Another object of the invention is to provide a swiveling fluid manifold adaptable to a hook structure for conductance of fluid under pressure from the fluid manifold to a fluid-operated elevator suspended below the hook structure.

An additional object of this invention is to provide a device for conducting fluid from a hook structure to an .elevator suspended therebelow with relative rotation therebetween, by means of a swiveling manifold to preclude the twisting of connecting fluid conduits.

The invention is embodied in the combination of a hook structure having a stationary portion and a rotatable portion, and a fluid-operated elevator suspended below it and rotatable with the rotatable portion of the hook structure. The improvement comprises: a swiveling fluid conducting manifold having a stationary portion and a rotatable portion and mounted on the exterior of the stationary portion of the hook structure; fluid inlet means mounted to the stationary portion of the manifold; fluid outlet means mounted to the rotatable portion of the manifold; means in the manifold for sealingly maintaining fluid communication from the inlet to the outlet means for all operative positions of the rotata'ble portion of the manifold relative to its stationary portion; conduit means connecting the outlet to the elevator for conducting operating fluid to it; and means responsive to rotation of the rotatable portion of the hook structure for rotating the rotatable portion of the manifold through a substantially equal arc, so that the elevator, the rotatable portion of the manifold, and the fluid conduit rotate substantially as a unit.

Brief description of the drawings FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a drilling ship having a derrick assembly to which is applicable the apparatus in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the derrick assembly shown in FIG. 1 taken along the line 22 of FIG. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 3 is a further enlarged view of a portion of the derrick assembly shown in FIG. 2 and looking in the same direction;

FIG. 3a is an enlarged view taken along the line 3Q-3d of FIG. 3 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 4 is a still further enlarged view taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 3 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 4 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of FIG. 5 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 77 of FIG. and lOOking in the direction of the arrows; and

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary view, partly in section, taken on the line 88 of FIG. 4 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Description of the preferred embodiment Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a drilling ship 21 afloat in the water, the surface of the water being designated 22. The ship has an elevated platform 23 positioned amidships. Erected on the platform is a drilling derrick 24. The ship has a moon hole 25 through which a string of drill pipe 26 extends from above the platform 23 into the water and thence into the earth (not shown) below, As this type of drilling ship with a platform and a derrick is widely known in the field to which the invention pertains, it need not be described here in further detail.

Turning now to FIG. 2, the derrick 24 is shown somewhat schematically, sway braces, guy wires and similar structural members being omitted to enable working apparatus to be shown more clearly. The derrick has generally vertical corner posts 27 and 28 supported on the platform 23 on base members 29 and 31. A water table 32 near the top of the derrick carries the usual crown block 33 which is aligned with the vertical center line of the derrick. Suspended from the crown block by cable 34 is a traveling block 35. As is usual, one end (not shown) of the cable 34 is anchored to the ships structure, and the other end is led to th spool 36 of a draw works 37 for raising and lowering the traveling block and the load supported thereby.

A hook structure 38 is swingably suspended from the bottom of the traveling block 35 by inter-engaged bails 39 on the hook and 41 on the block. An elevator link 42 is swingably suspended from an ear 43 on the hook structure, and the link has an elevator 44 swingably attached by another ear 45 to the lower end of the link 42. A second elevator link (not seen in FIG. 2) on the other side of the hook structure 38 similarly connects the elevator 44 to the hook structure 38.

The general reference numeral 46 denotes apparatus for positioning and guiding the block and hook structure. An elevator link stabilizing device is designated by the general reference numeral 47. The general reference numeral 48 designates apparatus for supplying compressed air to the elevator 44 to actuate it.

A stand 49 of drill pipe is shown as being supported by pipe handling equipment including rackers 51 and 52. Other stands 53 of drill pipe and a stand 54 of drill collars are shown at rest in a pipe rack having a finger board 55, a base 56, and an intermediate rack member 57. The upper end of the string of drill pipe 26 is shown projecting above the power tongs 58, the slips 59, and the rotary table 61. Casing manipulating apparatus is shown at 62. A swivel and kelly assembly 63 is disposed in the rat hole 64.

Projecting outwardly from the derrick and positioned under the racker 51 is a horizontal stage 65 upon which an operator may stand to adjust or repair the racker.

Associated with the racker 52 is a cable 66 actuated by a fluid-powdered piston-and-cylinder motor 67 for raising and lowering a component of the racker.

In FIG. 3 the traveling block 35 is shown suspended by cable lines 34, with its bail 41 suspending the hook structure 38 by means of its bail 39, the block 35 and hook structure 38 being positioned laterally by means of the apparatus 46. The positioning apparatus 46 is described in the copending application of Taylor L. Jones and John W. Turner, Jr. entitled Block and Hook structure Positioning and Guiding Apparatus, Ser. No. 687,819. The hook structure 38 is of the type defined in the aforementioned US. Patent No. 2,732,244, and includes a non-rotating housing portion 70 and a rotatable body portion 71. As seen in FIG. 4, on the upper end of the rotatable body 71 is a cam surface 72 on which rolls a cam folower 73, so that the body portion 71 and the housing portion 70, following rotation, are returned to their normal relative rotational positions due to action of a compression spring (not shown) inside the hook structure 38. Referring also to FIG. 3a, in order that elevator door latch portion 84 of the elevator 44 will always end up facing the pipe 49, the reltive positions of body 71 and housing 70 may be preadjusted to the desired position by means of an adjusting latch 74. Depending from the ears 43 of the body portion 71 of th hook structure 38 are a pair of elevator links 42. The links 42 are stabilized to the body portion 71 of the hook structure 38 by .means of the stabilizer 47 described in th copending application of Faustyn C. Langowski and John W. Turner, Jr. entitled Link Stabilizer for Well Drilling Rigs, Ser. No. 687,817. Suspended from the bottom ends of links 42 by means of cars 45 is a fluid-operated elevator 44. Referring also to FIGS. 5 through 8, fluid conductor means 48 is attached to the stationary housing portion 70 of the hook structure 38. This includes a swiveling circular manifold which has an inner non-rotating seal ring 91 attached by means of spacers 104 to the stationary housing portion 70. Rotatably concentric with ring 91 is outer ring 92 sealed to the inner ring by means of a top seal 96 and a bottom seal 97, between which is an annular cavity 98. To facilitate the relative rotation of the two seal rings, two rows of balls 95 are placed between the rings, one row above the seal 96 and one row below the seal 97. The manifold is covered with a top seal cover 93 and a bottom seal cover 94 fastened to the inner seal ring 91 by means of screws and washers 106. A connecting passage 101 connects the annular cavity 98 with the outside of the bottom seal cover 94, at which point is connected to the fluid inlet fitting 99. A fluid inlet conduit 102 from a fluid source under pressure (not shown) is connected to inlet fitting 99. Through the outer or rotating seal ring 92 from the annular cavity 98 is connected an outlet fitting 100, which, in turn, is connected to a fluid conduit 103.

The conduit 103 extends to the elevator 44, one branch 82 of the conduit connecting with the operating cylinder 80 and another branch 86 of the conduit extending to the latch cylinder 88. To the outer rotating seal ring 92 is fastened a manifold bracket 111 by means of screws 113 screwed into supports 112. From the bracket depends a manifold bar extending downward between a pair of pads or bumper seats 121 connected to a body bracket on the rotating portion 71 of the hook structure 38. The pads 121 are fastened to the bracket 120 by means of bolts 122 and nuts 123.

In the operation of the device of this invention, while pipe 49 is being hoisted by a traveling block 35, a certain amount of twisting takes place in the pipe string. In order'to prevent tangling of fluid lines 102 and 103 which are required for operation of the power elevator 44, swiveling fluid conductor means 48 is used. A fluid, normally air, under pressure is introduced through the bottom seal cover 94 of the non-rotating seal ring 91 to the annular cavity 98. The rotating seal ring 92 which contains the fluid cavity 98 is free to rotate relative to the inner ring 91 and the housing 70 of the hook structure assembly 38. So that the rotating portion 92 of the manifold 90 may be kept aligned with the rotating portion 71 of the hook structure 38, a manifold bar 110 fastened to and depending from the outer rotating seal ring 92 extends between fixed bumper seats 121 fastened to the rotating body portion 71 of the hook structure assembly 38. Thus, as the rotating body 71 and the depending elevator 44 rotate, there is no relative rotation of the conduit 103 which would result in entanglement of the fluid lines.

As fluid is allowed to pass into the manifold 90 through the inlet conduit 102 by operation of a valve (not shown), the fluid passes through inlet fitting 99, through connecting passage 101 and into the annular cavity 98 from which leakage is prevented by seals 96 and 97. From the annular cavity 98 the fluid may then exit through outlet fitting 100 of the rotating ring 92 and on downward through conduit 103 into inlets 82 and 86 to operate the piston and cylinder motors 80 and 88 so that the elevator 44 may be opened to encompass the pipe 49. The operation of air-operated elevators is further described in the previously mentioned US. Patent No. 2,695,189.

The manifold 90 could be attached to the body portion 71 of the hook structure 38 instead of to the housing portion 70, with the position of the inlet and outlet and the bar and stop pads in reversed positions from those described above in the preferred embodiment, as an alternate to the embodiment shown.

I claim:

1. A device for conducting fluid under pressure through a conduit from a hook structure having a stationary portion and a rotatable portion to an elevator rotatably suspended therebelow, wherein the improvement comprises:

(a) a swiveling fluid conducting manifold encircling and sealingly rotatably connected to the stationary portion of said hook structure;

(b) said manifold provided with fluid inlet and fluid outlet means;

(c) said manifold being mounted in swiveling relationship to said inlet means and in stationary relationship to said outlet means;

(d) conduit means connected to said outlet means and the elevator; and

(e) stop means included on a portion of said hook structure rotatable with said elevator and said manifold and relative to said stationary portion of said hook structure so as to assure rotation of said manifold and said conduit means concurrently with said rotatable portion of said hook structure and said elevator.

2. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein said stop means includes a bar fastened to and depending from said manifold to a position between circumferentially spaced lugs on said relatively rotatable portion of said hook structure.

3. A device as claimed in claim 2 wherein said swiveling fluid conducting manifold includes a circular stationary portion attached to said stationary portion of said hook structure and a concentric rotary portion sealingly and rotatably attached to said circular stationary portion, and said bar is attached to said rotary portion.

4. In combination, a hook structure having a stationary portion and a rotatable portion, and a fluid-operated elevator suspended therebelow and rotatable with the rotatable portion of the hook structure, wherein the improvement comprises:

(a) a swiveling fluid conducting manifold having a stationary portion and a rotatable portion, and mounted upon said stationary portion of the hook structure and positioned exteriorly thereof;

(b) fluid inlet means mounted on said stationary portion of the manifold;

(c) fluid outlet means mounted on said rotatable portion of the manifold;

(d) means in said manifold for sealingly maintaining fluid communication from said inlet means to said outlet means for all operative positions of said rotatable portion of the manifold relative to the stationary portion of the manifold;

(e) conduit means connecting said outlet means to said elevator for conducting fluid to said elevator for operating it; and

(f) means responsive to rotation of said rotatable portion of the hook structure for rotating said rotatable portion of the manifold through a substantially equal arc, whereby said elevator, said rotatable portion of the manifold, and said conduit means rotate substantially as a unit.

5. The combination as defined in claim 4 wherein said means in said manifold for sealingly maintaining fluid communication from said inlet means to said outlet means includes an annular conduit in one of said portions of the manifold and annular seals on either side thereof, said annular conduit being in fluid communication with said inlet means and said outlet means.

6. The combination as defined in claim 5 wherein said annular conduit is disposed in said rotatable portion of the manifold.

t 7. The combination as defined in claim 4 wherein said means responsive to rotation of said rotatable portion of the hook structure includes an elongated bar attached to and depending from said rotatable portion of the manifold; and a pair of aligned spaced pads secured to said rotatable portion of the hook structure; said bar extending between said pads.

8. The combination as defined in claim 7 wherein said pads are disposed adjacent to and circumferentially spaced from said depending elongated bar in sliding and driving relationship thereto.

9. The combination as defined in claim 4 wherein said fluid conducting manifold annularly encompasses said hook structure.

10. The combination as defined in claim 4 wherein said swiveling fluid conducting manifold comprises balls positioned annularly between portions of said stationary portion and said rotating portion of the manifold whereby to provide rolling swiveling engagement therebetween.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,217,803 10=/l940 Lyon 285275 X 2,613,101 10/1952 Roberson 29482 2,695,189 11/1954 Chrisrnan et al. 294 2,732,244 1/1956 Gaines 294-82 DAVID J. WILLIAMOWSKY, Primary Examiner D. W. AROLA, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 285-490, 274; 29482 

